


One Second Changes Everything

by GoldenMoon_42



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Discord: IronStrange Haven, I might make a series out of this, M/M, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Post-Endgame, i wrote angst, ironstrange haven discord weekly challenge, its gets sorta hopeful in the end, just imagine the rest of the avengers and pepper and happy there, the major character death still happens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-15
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-11-18 06:01:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18114749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldenMoon_42/pseuds/GoldenMoon_42
Summary: All it took was one second of looking away. One second changed everything. One second to lose.





	One Second Changes Everything

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the IronStrange Haven Discord's Weekly Challenge, I know I never told you..." This thing got angsty. Also, this is my first time writing angst.
> 
> This fic is unbetaed.
> 
> Enjoy!!!!

Tony Stark

May 29, 1970 - July 21, 2025

Beloved Brother, Father, Friend, Husband

His dream was the future, yet he never saw it

 

It had been a few weeks since the funeral, and it was a quiet morning when Stephen was visiting Tony’s headstone. Peter and Rhodey and a few others were there, finally having the time to finally just visit and get away from the chaotic energy that was left in the aftermath of the battle and the funeral. 

 

Stephen, standing in front of Tony’s headstone, was both feeling nothing and everything. He always figured that Tony would live long enough to see the future he helped protect and nurture. Tony was a man of the future, and all it took to take the futurist away from his vision, was one second. One second of Stephen looking away. Stephen was then brought back to a few weeks ago, back to that moment.

 

* * *

 

It was hell on earth. At least that was what it felt like to Stephen. Humans from alternate universes had come crashing to his universe, their one goal, to control magnificent beasts from various dimensions. Like always, humans always underestimated the power and strength of the beasts and promptly lost control of them as they tried to go back to their universe with the beasts. And once again, humans, their folly of ambition, pride, and power, still attempted to control them. It took the power of all the Avengers and the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj, to contain the beasts and humans, to bring them back to where ever they came from.

 

The fight was coming to an end, and exhaustion was etched onto the bodies and faces of the heroes and sorcerer. It was this exhaustion that caused Stephen to miss the blast that came from the beast. At the very last minute, Stephen looked up and moved, the blast missing him, but the blowback from the blast was enough to force Stephen onto the ground. He slowly stood up, recovering from the aftereffects of the blast. He looked around getting his bearings.

 

One second of looking away was all it took for Stephen to miss the attack, blue and blinding as the sun, coming fast at him. However, it was as if the powers of the Time Stone had activated,  and time slowed down, watching Iron Man speeding towards him. One or two blinks later, Stephen was on the ground witness to the bright, blazing bolt hit Tony square on the chest.

 

“NOOOOOOOOO!” wailed Stephen, the force of the scream that tore through his throat burned, watching Tony fall fast to the ground,

“Levi catch him!”

 

Stephen watched the Cloak fly to the free-falling suit, ignoring the battle going on around him, all his focus on the man inside the suit. As Levi caught Tony, slowly descending his fall, Stephen trampled over to where Tony was going to land, ignoring the debris around him. Lifting his hands trembling, both from old injuries and exhaustion, gently caught Tony, Levi taking most of the weight, and lowered Tony down to the ground.

 

With Tony safely on the ground, Stephen brought a quivering hand to his ear, where a comm could be found and said in a strong voice, “Iron Man is down. I’m here with him, checking him over.”

 

Various “Copy that’s” could be heard as each member of the team, took in the information he had just shared.

 

“I’m coming over!” yelled Rhodey, and Stephen could hear the panic and worry coloring his voice.

 

As Stephen waited, he looked down at the suit that encompassed the man he loved inside, his eyes lingering on the blast that had hit Tony instead of him.

 

“That was supposed to hit me,” whispered Stephen, as he cradled Tony in his arms, panic still etched onto his face.

 

“Fri...lower the...ma..sk,” the voice from within the suit commanded, the voice still Tony’s but with a tinny quality to it. The mask of the suit melting away and Tony’s face covered with sweat became visible.

 

 _“I...kn..know,”_ gasped Tony, breath sounding airy as though he struggled to get precious oxygen into his lungs, which Stephen supposed was true. The attack meant for Stephen had hit Tony on the chest.

 

“Why did you push me away?” whispered Stephen, lowering his head close to Tony’s, and gently held Tony’s head as he guided his forehead to the brunet’s.

 

“ _I ne...never told you_...thi..is,” Tony heaved, breathing deep to get the precious oxygen into his failing lungs, “...or anyone really, except for Rhodey, but...you brea...thed colors into my life.”

 

Stephen smiled and tittered a bit, as tears fell from his closed eyes and landed on Tony’s face, their foreheads still touching. The sounds of battle around them still going, but for that moment it seemed as though the two of them only existed.

 

“I love you, Tony,” said Stephen.

 

With Tony’s last breath, he whispered, “I lo..ve you.”

 

“No, no, no, no,” whimpered Stephen, “please don’t leave us, Tony.”

 

“Don’t leave me please.”

 

“Please.”

 

Rhodey found them, Stephen cradling Tony’s body. Rhodey knew then that his brother in all but blood was gone. He walked up to Stephen and Tony and placed a gauntleted hand on Stephen’s shoulder.

 

* * *

 

“I wonder if Tony’s with Mom and Dad and Uncle Ben in where ever people go when they die?” asked Peter, his voice hoarse. Stephen pulled away from his memories, looked over to Peter and May.

Peter was dressed in his “I survived my trip to NY” shirt and Hello Kitty pajama pants. The outfit one of the first few things he got from Tony. Aunt May dressed in her usual outfit of a bright colored casual blouse and pants.

 

“He probably is,” answered Aunt May, as tears fell from her eyes, hugging Peter close to her body giving him the comfort he so desperately needed, “Talking about you and your accomplishments and your stint as the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.”

 

“I also like to think that he’s found my sister Donna, where ever they are. They’re probably gossiping about me,” murmured Stephen, who was standing next to them, in casual clothes.

 

“Knowing Tony, he’d do exactly that,” laughed Rhodey, “Tony and Jeanette always got together to make fun of me, and now that he’s where ever, they have years of gossip to catch up on. He’s probably found his mom and Jarvis already, Aunt Peggy, and Ana too.”

 

“I miss him,” whimpered Peter into May’s neck, his tears making a spot on her outfit, as she continued to hug him.

 

“He probably misses you too, Peter,” suggested Stephen who was standing next to them, in casual clothes, “I think he misses all of us.”

 

“We’ll see him one day, Peter,” assured Rhodey, reaching over to ruffle Peter’s hair, as Peter rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.

 

As the group stood at the headstone, the quiet somehow giving them the comfort they craved, Stephen spoke,

 

“That’s right, we’ll see him again one, but for now, we live the future he helped create and save.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS FIC!!!!!! Come find me [here](https://music-is-the-voice-of-the-soul.tumblr.com) .
> 
> There is a slight possibility that this is gonna turn into a series or multi-chapter fic.


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